The value of spend on supply teachers in maintained schools in each year from 1997-98 was as follows:
Supply teaching staff Agency supply teaching staff Total 2002/03 484,510,938 356,530,225 841,041,163 2003/04 462,741,309 372,491,669 835,232,978 2004/05 438,806,050 384,905,468 823,711,518 2005/06 454,848,557 434,073,749 888,922,306 2006/07 117,646,342 268,443,722 386,090,064
Prior to 2002/03 expenditure on supply teachers was not separately identifiable and so this data is not available. Data for the period 2007/08 has yet to be fully collated and so too is omitted from the aforementioned table.
The Department’s Educational Procurement Centre (EPC) is currently undertaking a Temporary Workers in Education project. This aims to provide schools (initially in London) with an accessible, quality driven electronic one stop shop for their temporary staff requirements. Two key benefits of this project will be safeguarding and efficiencies. All participating agencies will hold the DCSF Recruitment Employment Confederation (REC) Quality Mark, thereby meeting the requirements of the Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education guidance. All London boroughs will be able to benefit from a safe and value adding quality central service, reducing their own resourcing requirement in relation to temporary staff and allow them to redirect to other needs.